Wednesday, April 20, 2016

It can be challenging to host overnight guests or visiting family if you don’t have a dedicated guest room. When space is at a premium it can be also be difficult to ensure that everyone enjoys the visit and stays happy, healthy, and sane. Below are a few ways you can minimize the impact of cramming extra people into a small space.

Get a sleeper sofa in place of a couch. Of course, this seems pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t take advantage of this option. Modern sleeper sofas are comfortable and easy to use, and much more convenient for your guests than an air mattress. You’ll have a second bed readily available and plenty of seating.

Make Your Guests Feel at Home

The Cassandra Traditional Queen Air Dream Sleeper is a great option for turning your living room into a bedroom at a moments’ notice. The traditional style gives you comfortable seating by day and the pull out queen size air dream mattress lets your guest rest easy at night. And, once your guests have departed, you can quickly put your room back to normal. This leather sofa has rolled arms and bun feet that give it classic and timeless appeal.

Make your guests comfortable by putting some bedroom-like touches in the living room. It can be tricky to make a living area into a guest room, but there are some things you can do that will blend in with your everyday style. Strategically place a lamp next to the potential sleeping area, set up station for charging phones and laptops, and keep extra pillows, towels, and quilts in accessible storage areas such as the bottom shelf of an entertainment center or inside an ottoman.
When you have guests, you may have to let some things go — let the house get a little messy, come to terms with the fact that you may sacrifice some privacy and probably some sleep, and put some of your daily routines aside so you can visit with your guests. Trying to keep everything going along as usual, while also trying to entertain your guests may quickly become very frustrating. Stick to those elements of your routine that keep you sane such as your morning run or yoga session, or a glass of wine at the end of the day and don’t worry about the rest until your guests have departed. If you focus on ensuring your guests are comfortable and enjoying their visit, everyone will have a good time. A sleeper sofa from Broyhill, available at Baer’s Furniture, will help you accomplish this task.
Get more interior design inspiration from Baer’s Furniture on Houzz!

Friday, April 15, 2016

Crave balance, order, and peace in your life? These stressful and erratic times make it increasingly hard to find peace, tranquility, and relaxation in our daily lives. Try bringing a Zen vibe into your living room. White walls, natural furniture, comfortable seating all evoke a feeling of Zen-like calm.

Although not a defined design-style, Zen is most often associated with simplicity, minimalism, and pure lines. It is more a way of arranging your home and fostering an atmosphere that mitigates the stress of your day-to-day routine.

Earth Tones

Natural, earth tones form the foundation of Zen-inspired design—soft tones such as grey, white, and shades of beige that create an atmosphere of relaxation and calmness. An important feature is chromatic harmony between the elements, as well as visual continuity between furniture, walls, and floors. To keep the room from becoming too monochromatic, you can add texture textiles and play with degrees of your favorite color scheme.

Simple and Natural Furniture

Simple, clean lines are the hallmark of Zen style furniture-no complicated detail and excess ornamentation. Natural materials soothe the senses with an aura of warmth and relaxation. Keep decoration to a minimum and choose unfussy, upholstered or leather furniture that optimizes comfort. A couch such as the Tommy Bahama Island Fusion Osaka Leather Sofa, with its clean, uncluttered lines, provides a neutral palette to build your Zen style around.

Soft and Natural Light

To create a truly relaxing space, maximize natural light as much as possible. If you don’t have a lot of natural lighting in your space, use nature-inspired lights. By placing different sources of lighting in the space, you can control the intensity. If possible, avoid direct light from the ceiling and instead, mix indirect lighting, a table or desk lamp, and floor lamps as needed.

Minimal Ornamentation and Decorations

Stick to the theme of simplicity: avoid collections of photos or paintings. Simple accents, such as the Tommy Bahama Island Infusion Nobu Cocktail Table increase the Zen tranquility of the space without overwhelming the peaceful vibe. The tempered glass top lets you display plants or natural object d’art. A Bonsai tree or terrarium will give the space a calming effect with their soothing green foliage.

Eliminate Clutter

Keep clutter— accessories and tchotchkes—to a minimum, or eliminate them altogether if possible, as clutter can distract the mind and inhibit relaxation. Remove as many items as possible and keep the essentials. Once you have your basic style in place, you can carefully add whatever will bring you additional comfort.

Friday, April 8, 2016

One of the best ways you can dress up your hallway is with a console table. But first, what exactly is a console table? Even if you think you don’t know, you’ve probably seen them, and may even have one. Console tables, such as the Sanctuary Four-Door Mirrored Console by Hooker Furniture are typically found in entryways or hallways, but can also be used in any narrow space that needs a small, narrow piece of furniture.

Although its primary purpose may be debatable, a console table can have a functional use such as providing a horizontal surface for holding keys or displaying collections, a social use such as a convenient gathering place with lamps, or it can be completely aesthetic. And it can add visual interest and practical usage to your hallway.

Choose the Right Console Table

Of course, the console table you choose needs to fit your space physically with the right dimensions of height, width, and depth as well as aesthetically with the right qualities of color, shape, and style. The console table acts as an island or gathering spot in the hallway, and can become a focal point in the space.

The Sanctuary Four-Door Mirrored Console by Hooker Furniture packs a lot of style punch despite its diminutive size. With four mirrored doors and laced design, it oozes elegance and personality. The adjustable shelves make it practical as well as beautiful, as it effortlessly becomes the focal point of your hallway.

Dress It Up to Create an Impact

While this piece can easily command attention on its own, centering an interesting mirror or artwork above the piece will only add to the appeal of the space and keep it clean-looking and structured. Group similar items, such as white pottery along the top of the console for understated charm. Vary the height of your pieces for visual interest, but make sure they have a common theme. Remember to keep your mirror or artwork in proportion with the table but also larger than the other accent pieces to add layers of visual interest.

Keep the “White Space.”

Although the negative space may not actually be white, be sure to maintain a good balance of items and their absence. This allows the eye to rest. If you’ve ever seen an overcrowded table or wall, you understand how visually uncomfortable this is. A good rule of thumb is to reserve a quarter of the space as negative space. In addition, choose a color palette. You can vary from it somewhat, mixing a silver vase in with your while porcelain pieces, for instance, will enhance the completed look.

Show Off Your Style

The console table can be the perfect outlet for expressing your personal style. Switch out the collection, or freshen the look with seasonal plants and flowers. Stack some interesting books under a bust stature, or switch out the pieces for a new collection. By keeping it well edited, you can give your console table by Hooker Furniture a fresh new look that is completely your own.